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Thulcandra

Fallen Angel's Dominion

Written by: EW on 05/06/2010 17:50:14

Hello again my friends, nice to see you all after an unusually quiet couple of weeks from myself in the domains of Rockfreaks.net. Much has prevented me from getting any metalworks done in this time but I announce my return with the debut album from Germans Thulcandra on Napalm Records. While they themselves might not be worthy of announcing my return with, their staggering similarity to one legendary band by the name of Dissection garners them that privilege and it is with here I begin.

In describing Thulcandra's sound to you I must stress the level of similarity between "Fallen Angel's Dominion" and Dissection's two genre classics, "The Somberlain" and "Storm of the Light's Bane". Though the band might have you believe otherwise, from the classic (though stereotypically epic) Necrolord cover this is unashamed Dissection plagiarism, yet done well enough to be viewed as Dissection's fourth album (or third for the cynics who never really took to 2006's "Reinkaos"). The mixture of developed twin guitar melodies, bouts of hammering black/death metal, periods of somber acoustic guitar as well as song titles that could be lifted straight from their heroes' notebook ("Night Eternal", "Spirit of the Night") make for a product the legendary Swedes could have been proud of themselves, yet it does leave the question of exactly what Thulcandra's career intentions are with this sound.

The likes of "Everlasting Fire", which has a greater Watain feel about it, and "Night Eternal" which is to "Fallen Angel's Dominion" what "Night's Blood" is to "Storm of the Light's Bane", make for very well-structured and enjoyable songs both on record and, having seen Dissection live twice before their suicidal demise, on stage. Finishing with a cover of, you guessed it, Dissection's "The Somberlain", "Fallen..." is sufficiently great enough to be worthy of owning for anyone with a passing interest in black/death metal and a very good record in it's own right, but for the sheer lack of unique identity in what is still their first album Thulcandra won't get top marks from me until I hear something new. In the meantime however this will sit very nicely in the 'D' section of my music collection...

Download: Everlasting Fire, Spirit of the Night, Night Eternal
For the fans of: Dissection, Watain, Unanimated
Listen: Myspace

Release date 04.06.2010
Napalm Records